


Not quite next door

by wildcursive



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Apartment AU, Ignis is a clerk at the Citadel, M/M, Neighbours, Noctis has a cat, this is mostly ridiculously mushy, with a dramatic bit that ended up there somehow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 03:39:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13115187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildcursive/pseuds/wildcursive
Summary: The Citadel provides all of its employees with accommodation, even ordinary clerks like Ignis Scientia. Living next door to busy Crownsguard members who are rarely home results in a neighbour coming to him with an unusual request and all the unexpected developments that follow.Written for Ignoct Secret Santa.





	Not quite next door

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Ignoctmas everyone! This is my contribution to the Secret Santa and it was written for [@lanky-k0ng](https://lanky-k0ng.tumblr.com/) who said she likes cheesy AUs like coffee shop AU, but I didn't know how well I could pull that off, so here's a strange neighbours AU where Noct is still the prince, but Ignis never became his advisor. It was supposed to be only around 2k and then I sat down to finish and edit it and it grew more than double that. Not betad so any and all mistakes are mine. I hope you enjoy!

It starts out as a quiet Thursday evening. Ignis is content to be able to indulge in some recreational reading after a busy day at the Citadel when he hears an insistent knock at his door. It is unusual, he thinks, he knows just a few of his neighbors - a couple of Crownsguard on his floor who are rarely home, and one of his colleagues, who sometimes comes to ask him for a cup of Ebony, which Ignis grudgingly provides, because he values being courteous and keeping in good favor with his coworkers just that tiny bit more than his Ebony. So it is with no small amount of surprise that he is faced not with his co-worker's brown eyes and outstretched hand holding an empty coffee cup, but with a deep blue gaze and a white ball of fur held in the arms of a man who is more handsome than someone with hair this untidy is allowed to be.

"Hi, downstairs neighbor. Are you allergic to cats?"

"Excuse me?"

"Felines, _gatti,_ if you prefer Accordian, this thing here," the man lifts his arms a bit to emphasize his point. The object of their conversation shifts a little bit in his arms and meows once.

"No?"

The man's striking blue eyes light up.

"Yes! Okay, I know you don't know me, but please take her just for an hour. I have been knocking on every door in this building without luck, cause my landlord is coming and I am not allowed pets, but I found her in the rain the other week and she was so miserable, I have been trying to find an owner for her, but I have had no luck so far, so I've kept her. I promise I will repay you." The whole thing is said in maybe two breaths and Ignis isn't sure how he is managing to distinguish between the words.

"Your landlord?"

The man seems confused.

"You picked that out of the whole story? But yes, my landlord."

"This whole building is owned by the Crown, which is providing its employees living quarters here. Do you even work at the Citadel?"

"Kind of," the other man sighs. "Listen, I am subletting here and it's a bit complicated, but all legal, I promise. Anyways, please, for the cat?"

Ignis considers. He just discovered he has this very attractive neighbor, who is asking him for a favor that would cost him some clean-up at worst. Plus, he does like cats and the one in front of him is beautiful and hopefully not badly behaved.

"Very well"

Those pretty eyes that Ignis should not be staring so much into widen in delighted surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes, give her here," he reaches out.

The other man deposits the feline in his waiting arms and Ignis mentally kicks himself for the spark he imagines as their arms touch. The cat seems unbothered by the exchange and settles more comfortably.

"Nice to meet you too," Ignis says, stroking under her chin.

"Her name is Cassiopeia," his neighbor supplies. "Thank you so much again, gotta dash," and with that he is gone before Ignis manages to ask for his.

When, after a quarter of an hour of following the cat as she explores his house, it seems that she is not interested in doing much more than sniffing here and there and would likely not inflict damage upon his property, Ignis decides to leave her to her own devices and returns to the couch and his book, keeping an ear out for any suspicious noises nonetheless. He manages to get through several pages before the sound of soft paws on the wooden floor gets closer and he suddenly has a couch mate, who unceremoniously plops on the pillow on the other side of the sofa and curls up for a nap.

This is how they still are about an hour and a half later when another insistent knock on his door rouses them both. The small feline immediately heads for the door even before Ignis has had a chance to close his book. His neighbor is on the other side of it, unsurprisingly, and the cat swiftly jumps into his open arms.

"Good girl," he almost coos, scratching the top of her head and Ignis should not be finding the scene before him this attractive, but he likes cats and the man is more than handsome, so there is little he can do.

"I cannot thank you enough," his neighbor turns to him. "My landlord would have probably kicked me out if he'd seen her." Ignis has decided that that would definitely be an unwanted scenario. "She didn't trouble you too much did she?"

"Not at all, she mostly used my couch as a bed."

"She does love her naps, yes," the other man replies, scratching under the cat's chin, a smile playing on his face. Ignis tries to ignore the insistent thoughts about his lips that his brain is assaulting him with. "It's probably why we get on so well together. Anyways, I will not bother you any longer tonight, but I will drop by soon to repay you."

With that, he is gone just as quickly as he disappeared the first time, before Ignis has had a chance to tell him it was no bother and again before he has managed to ask for his name. He goes back in and leans on the closed door, admonishing himself for feeling fluttery like a teenager with a crush.

***

Friday is spent in a flurry of activity, which has him staying at the Citadel way after dark and puts his handsome neighbor entirely out of his mind. Saturday, however, offers a respite with a long morning free of obligations other than a personal one to the depletion his Ebony reserves. In the early afternoon Ignis leaves to the nearby market to procure ingredients for a week of pre-planned (and with his schedule mostly pre-cooked) meals. Satisfied with his purchases after three quarters of an hour spent gathering them, Ignis heads home with two large shopping bags in his hands.

The elevator is blissfully empty and he hums quietly to the music that's playing. It's a newer upbeat song, one that his friends would never guess he likes. The ding for his floor sounds and he heads to his front door.

"Hey," a now familiar voice calls out.

Ignis almost drops his bags, but manages to retain his balance and turn to look in the direction it came from. His handsome neighbor is standing at the end of the hall.

"I tried knocking on your door, but there was no answer. I'm glad I managed to catch you," he says.

"I go to the market on Saturdays,” Ignis responds before his brain has caught up with his mouth. Why did he just disclose this information?

"Sweet. I came to repay you as promised."

"There is no need," he finally has an opening "But I would like to know the name of the person I so graciously catsat for."

His neighbor seems caught off-guard.

"Ah, oh, right." He raises his hand to scratch at his neck, a move that makes him seem much younger and boyish. "I'm Livius," he finishes, almost shyly.

"Ignis, a pleasure to make your acquaintance," he smiles in return and continues in a sudden rush of boldness. "Well then, Livius, why don't you come in and tell me about this repayment you have come up with."

"Ah," another nervous scratch behind the man's neck. "Sorry, I'd love to, but I have errands to run this morning. I'm in 505 if you need anything and here," he suddenly thrusts out both hands in Ignis' general direction, holding something small and rectangular. Ignis takes it on reflex, but before he can respond properly the other man has run off with a small shout of “See you around."

Ignis confusedly turns the small sheet of hard paper around to examine it. It's a gift card for Ebony Café and he has no idea how his neighbor knew this is the perfect gift for him. He definitely cannot wait for their next meeting to find out.

***

Said meeting occurs the next evening and is initiated by a bewildered Ignis.

"You gave me a 5000 gil gift card?" he asks instead of greeting.

He had gone out to get coffee and catch up with Gladio, one of his Crownsguard neighbours and regular sparring partner (as Ignis has always been determined to not let the fact that his work requires him to sit behind a desk all day stop him from keeping in shape). How he landed the Prince’s own Shield as a sparring partner, he is still not sure, but the challenge is enjoyable.

"Come on, Iggy, when will you realize you have too much skill to stay behind a desk?" Gladio had inquired yet again on their way to the café.

"Ah yes, I should instead join the Crownsguard, is that right? Tell me, Gladio, what have you been doing since your prince went overseas?"

"I have been kept plenty busy, Iggy."

"Still, I find myself preferring the efficiency of the legislative division," and the pay, he though. "The Crownsguard may do their duty admirably, but I would not be satisfied were I in your position and not allowed to go with my charge, especially when he is all the way in Altissia."

"Noct's a big boy he can manage. It’s only university either way," Gladio scoffed. "Plus, I didn't go only because the Crownsguard have more than enough people on site there."

He sounded more defensive than usual so Ignis let it go.

"Apologies, I did not mean to offend."

Gladio grinned.

"It's okay, Iggy, you'll see one day."

Then they got to the coffee shop and Ignis tried to use his gift card, finding its limit roughly equaling 10 visits to this not at all inexpensive café. Which is why he headed straight for Livius' doorstep upon returning to their building.

"Uhm, yeah," Livius responds "Why?"

"This is entirely too much in exchange for your cat sleeping on my sofa for an hour, Livius, I cannot accept it.”

“Please, Ignis, I am just glad I didn’t mess up with it,” he smiles shyly at him. “I didn’t, right?”

“You definitely did not. How did you know to get it, if I may ask?”

“Oh,” Livius lifts his hand to scratch at his neck in that endearing way again. “I just saw a can of Ebony on your table behind you when I came to get Cass.”

“I see, still I-“

“Listen,” the other man interrupts him. “If you are feeling that bad about it, I can just ask you for more neighbourly favors like a second cat-sitting session or something. How does that sound?”

Too good to be true, Ignis thinks.

“It is fair, I suppose,” he concedes. “I won’t take up more of your time, thank you again.”

“No problem,” Livius answers with a disarming smile that Ignis thinks about for the rest of the evening.

***

The requests start the day after that and keep coming in a steady stream over the next two weeks. A cup of sugar on Monday, some tape for a parcel on Thursday, washing powder late on Sunday evening, and a pen on Wednesday. He always comes in the evenings and by the third request, Ignis finds himself subconsciously listening for the three sharp knocks on his door that signal Livius’ presence every evening.

In the days after the last ‘neighbourly favor’ on Wednesday, Ignis is once again buried in paperwork, which takes up even most of his Saturday. With an evening run to the shops he manages to settle his groceries and has finally settled down to try and rest while answering some non-urgent emails when those three sharp knocks he had almost forgotten about break the silence of his apartment. He opens his door to reveal Livius and Cassiopeia.

"Hi, Specs,” Ignis almost misses the new nickname. It seems well-intentioned so he doesn’t point out its use. “Sorry for springing her on you, but my landda- landlord is coming over again. Would it be too much trouble?"

Ignis is exhausted and would maybe have made an excuse were it anyone else, but as usual he is too receptive to the pleading look in those blue eyes.

“Not at all.”

Livius beams.

"Six, you are the best, thanks! I'll be back in an hour tops."

Cassiopeia doesn’t even bother looking around this time and rather unceremoniously plops on what Ignis has to conclude will be her spot on his couch if Livius keeps bringing her around. He takes his laptop back from the coffee table where he set it when he went to answer the door and continues his email correspondence. There is a shuffling nearby a few minutes later and he turns to see her sitting up right next to his thigh and looking at him inquisitively. He reaches out a hand to scratch between pointed ears and is rewarded with a deep purr.

Fifty minutes later he has both laptop and cat in his lap and has moved on to reading a recipe for salmon braised with red wine, right hand using his mouse to scroll through it while the left strokes over soft white fur. Then suddenly Cassiopeia jumps from his lap and heads to the door. She has heard her owner approaching, as Ignis rightfully assumes, and by the time he has left his laptop safely back on the coffee table and gotten up, there is a knock.

“Good girl,” Livius enthuses as she performs her well-practiced hop into his arms.

Ignis lifts his eyes and catches the moment his neighbor nervously bites at his lip. It is not doing him any favors.

“Thanks again, Specs,” that nickname again, Ignis is tempted to ask. “I’ve been in your hair a lot these past two weeks, do you think my ‘thank you’ gift is warranted now?”

“I believe so,” Ignis smiles and nervously adjusts his glasses. He has been concocting a plan for the past week and as they say, there is no better time than the present. “In fact, I have been using it regularly and find myself down to my last two drinks. I was wondering if you would like to share.”

Livius seems caught off-guard and Ignis’ stomach sinks.

“I’m sorry I-” he begins, but Livius raises a hand.

“Nono, Iggy, don’t misunderstand. I simply… uh. I was going to ask you a similar question.”

Ignis shouldn’t be feeling like a hopeful teenager with a crush, he is almost 23, but there he is.

“Then how does tomorrow afternoon sound?”

“Perfect,” Livius grins “I’ll meet you down at 2. Say bye Cass,” he adds, waving her left paw at Ignis before turning to the elevator.

Ignis closes the door and leans on it wearing a grin that Gladio would probably make fun of for days.

***

“Do you always dress so impeccably?” Livius asks after they have settled down with their coffees, courtesy of his gift card.

“Ah,” Ignis is glad he does not blush easily, “One has to, when it comes to working in the Citadel, as I imagine you know.”

“Right,” Livius has once again assumed that reluctant tone Ignis has noticed several times.

“What do you do, if I may ask?” he decides to prod.

“Ah, I’m in Crownsguard training, but I am also attending university. What about you, you never said?”

The reluctance is still there, so Ignis, satisfied with the answer, decides to give him a break and talk about himself. He tells him about legislation and his usual tasks, without the classified details, of course.

“You know, my friend Gladio keeps pestering me to apply for the Crownsguard pretty much every time we spar together.”

“Gladio,” Livius seems startled. “The Prince’s Shield?”

“Yes, he lives on my floor and we have been sparring partners for some time now. Do you know him?”

“Yeah, he is training us new recruits. Bit of a hardass isn’t he?” It is said with a shy grin and Ignis is glad to have finally found the line of conversation that doesn’t make the other man nervous.

“More of nag really, sparring with him is challenging enough to keep you on your toes at all times, but I wish he would get this idea that I am wasting my time with a desk job out of his head.”

“Isn’t it boring, though? I wouldn’t be able to stay awake through it all, if I had to sit at a desk with paperwork for hours upon hours.”

“Spoken like a true Crownsguard,” Ignis chuckles. “No offence.”

“None taken,” he gets an answering grin. “Can’t disagree with Gladio, though. If you’re having actual sparring sessions with him instead of the usual recruit routine of counting how many times your ass has hit the ground in the past half an hour,” he looks away, almost shyly. “And with your looks. You’d fit right in.”

“I am not the actual recruit out of the two of us, however. And I would say you look like you fit right in yourself.” 

Neither of them has called it a date, but this is exactly what it is, Ignis thinks as they continue to exchange light flirtations. It is only coffee for now, however, so he does not allow himself to be disappointed when they separate amicably in front of the café, with Livius leaving for a late training session at the Citadel and him returning home to get on with his weekend household errands.

***     

The next time it is Livius who asks, but Ignis who insists on paying as technically it was on the other man last time. Livius opens up more, tells Ignis about his busy, but caring father and about his major in politics and minor in history, jokes about maybe joining Ignis at a desk job if he is ultimately not chosen for the Crownsguard. He is probably keeping Cassiopeia after multiple attempts at finding her a new owner, he confides and shyly asks for his cooperation in any further encounters with his landlord. Ignis assures him she always has a spot saved on his couch and in turn tells him about his uncle, who recommended him for the job after he fast-tracked through his bachelor and master’s, about his culinary ventures, about his colleague’s advances on his Ebony stash, which is met with hearty laughter, and about almost knocking Gladio on his back in their latest sparring session.

By the time they are finished with their coffees Ignis has not stopped smiling and he sees the same grin on Livius’ face. He had several relationships in university of course, but none of them brought this type of fluttery excitement, even if technically these two dates have not led him and Livius to anything. He is determined to change that.

“Livius, I,” he feels himself nervously reach out to adjust his glasses again. “I have had a very pleasant time with you and I was wondering if you would let me take you out for real, as it is, to dinner somewhere nice.”

“I- absolutely,” Livius smiles in that way that makes Ignis fluttery again.

Ignis was under the impression that they will be going back to their building together after, but Livius almost runs out, citing a sudden task in the Citadel he has to attend to and promises he’ll swing by his apartment to tell him when he is free for dinner. Ignis, even if slightly mystified  by the appearance of a sudden task for a Crownsguard trainee at 6pm on a Friday, doesn’t put much thought into it and walks back home alone with a barely-concealed spring in his step.

***

Three days later and he’s wondering if his excitement was premature, as Livius has not yet stopped by and Ignis starts to wonder if he was maybe too forward or misread the other’s intentions. It’s Monday evening and after the terribly busy day he’s had he should be exhausted, but his mind is not letting him rest. His body is not as stubborn though and he realizes he was dozing off on his sofa only when three sharp knocks on his door startle him awake.

“Iggy, hi.”  It is unsurprisingly Livius and his heart leaps in his chest, even though he is trying to stomp down on it, expecting this visit to be a gentle let-down. “About that date, how does Friday sound?”

“Perfect,” he answers, keeping himself from grinning as wide as he wants to. “Shall I pick you up from your apartment at 7?”

“Yeah,” Livius nods smiling. “And get some rest,” he adds, seeing the yawn Ignis is unable to stop.

“Thank you, see you on Friday.”

“Can’t wait.”

***

The rest of the week keeps him reasonably busy and Ignis does not let the date distract him from his duties, though it is always at the back of his head. The day finally comes and he carefully puts on his selected attire – his favorite suit and a new black shirt with a thin silver motif. Years of practiced routine keep him from fretting over his looks too much and with a last look in the mirror he picks up the bouquet he got on his way back from work and heads to Livius’ door.

Livius looks magnificent when he opens it. He’s wearing a similar dark suit, but the shirt underneath is deep blue to match his eyes and Ignis can’t take his eyes off him, especially after he sees the flowers and gets all wide-eyed and blushing.

The restaurant he picked is classy, but not as snobbish as places people wait for months to get a reservation at. Considering the short notice and his own impatience, he wouldn’t be able to take Livius to one of them either way. The food is perfectly enjoyable, though Livius insists on transferring his vegetables to Ignis’ plate. Ignis is starting to protest when he is offered a ripe cherry tomato on the other man’s fork and wholly intentional or not, the flirtatious gesture makes his heart flutter again. Dessert is shared and by the end of it their legs are entangled under the table and Ignis is sure the enamored look Livius is giving him is matched on his face.

They go back to their building together this time and he accompanies Livius to his door, takes his hand to plant a gentle kiss on top of it when they arrive and upon lifting his head is met with hands fisting into the lapels of his jacket and pulling him down for a not too gentle meeting of lips. Livius is insistent, but not harsh and Ignis almost melts into the kiss reaching out to tangle his fingers into dark locks of hair.

“Come in please,” Livius tells him when they separate, breathless and slightly disheveled and Ignis can only nod eagerly. As if anything could make him refuse.

The door closes behind them and he doesn’t resist the urge to push the other man against it and attempt to claim his lips again only to be pushed back.

“No, please, sorry. I told myself I would allow myself only one kiss before I told you.”

Tell him something? Ignis wants to ask, but Livius has already disappeared into the kitchen. He returns quickly carrying two cans of Ebony and motions for him to sit on the sofa settling on his right.

“Before you ask, yes I got them especially for this.”

“For this? Livius I-”

“That’s not my name.” the other man, who is apparently not Livius stops him.

“I don’t understand.”

“Before I tell you, I want you to know I would have been completely honest with you from the beginning if I could, and I have done my best to be as honest as possible under the circumstances. I would understand if you didn’t want anything to do with me after this, however.”

Ignis is holding his breath, heart beating wildly in his chest as he tries to figure out what suddenly changed to lead him from the best date in his life to sitting frozen on the couch of his date whose name he doesn’t even know.

“My name is not Livius. It is Noctis.”

“Noctis?” his voice sounds raspy to his own ears.

“As in Noctis Lucis Caelum, yes. I would understand if you want to leave now, but if our dates meant as much to you as they did to me, please, let me explain.”

Ignis momentarily entertains the idea that the amounts of Ebony he’s consuming have finally had an averse effect, but Li- Noctis’ eyes are so honest and pleading and he has had a weakness for this look since day one.

“I- yes, okay. Please.”

Noctis looks down at his hands in his lap and begins.

“My dad always wanted me to live my childhood and adolescence as normally as possible. In high school he had the Crownsguard crack down on paparazzi, so by the time I was 18 there were pretty much no pictures of me circulating, if you wonder why you might not have recognized me. Dad even told me to get a part-time job,” he chuckles. “To choose whatever I really wanted to study in university, take a gap year if I want. I was being instructed in everything I would need to take his place one day, but he wanted to give me just this bit of freedom,” he looks up to meet Ignis’ eyes. “Including the freedom to date if and whoever I wanted to. The council was not so keen on the idea.”

Ignis reaches out to take one of his hands into both of his.

“They were ‘concerned about the Crown’s image’,” Noctis uses his free hand to make the air quotes. “So in order for me not to tarnish it in this ‘youthful rebellion phase’, they used the fact that not many people knew what I look like and pulled strings here and there to make it seem like I’m studying abroad in Altissia, while Livius Caelum – no relation is what’s written on most of my university records here. I think only the Dean knows who I really am.”

Ignis squeezes his hand urging him to continue.

“I was as honest with you as I could, I really needed help with Cass and everything I told you besides the Crownsguard training part is true. I waited till Monday to come to you, because I needed to go to dad and the Council to get permission to let you know,” he turns to face Ignis properly and moves an inch closer. “Because I really, really like you, Ignis.”

“Noctis,” the name sounds strange on his lips, but it fits much better, he realizes. “Can I kiss you?”

“Yes please.”

***

Later, when they are lying in Noctis’ bed, he tells Ignis about people who know. Higher rank Crownsguard, his high school friend and university mate, Prompto, who he promises to introduce Ignis to, and of course Gladio.

“I asked him about you,” Noctis admits shyly. “But only because I didn’t know what gift I should get you. ‘Kid’s crazy about Ebony’,” he says in a poor imitation of Gladio’s deep voice.

“He knows I am only about 10 months younger than him, doesn’t he?” Ignis asks with indignation and Noctis laughs.

They have apparently left the door slightly ajar and, as if summoned by her owner’s voice, Cassiopeia walks in and jumps on the bed at their feet.

"Noct," he suddenly remembers

"Yeah?" the Prince responds in a tiny voice as if afraid he's in trouble. 

"The second time you left Cass with me. Did you almost call the King 'landdad'?"

“Well, he is my landlord. Technically he is everyone's landlord and he insisted on the moniker,” Noctis makes a face “Uh, dad jokes.”

“Landdad jokes you mean?”

“Ugh, he’ll like you.”

The King does. Especially half a year later when Ignis is submitting his Crownsguard admission documents on the fast track to becoming Noctis’ advisor. Ignis buys a triumphant Gladio a beer... or four.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay listen, gil in this fic is like yen and according to the google search I did a coffee in Starbucks in Japan is about 400-500 yen, so this is what I'm going by here.  
> I hope you enjoyed, kudos and comments are love. :)


End file.
